Beauty Chat: Jinkx Monsoon on the Art of Drag

There she is, Miss America's Next Drag Superstar! Fan favorite Jinkx Monsoon was crowned the latest winner of RuPaul's Drag Race during this week's finale. Known for her theatrical prowess and command of comedy, Jinkx's retro-inspired character deftly combines the polish and sweet naivety of a Cleaver mom with the déclassé antics of a working girl—and a dash of Vaudeville thrown in for good measure. The result? A charming and zany drag queen who came out on top of season five, which premiered with the highest ratings of any show in Logo's network history.

We caught up with Jinkx at the official finale party, where she revealed to us the beauty tips we should take from older women, her top three product must-haves, and what women can learn today from the art of drag.

In your own words, how would you describe your signature beauty look?

I call myself a gorgeous anachronism. I don't always do one era, but what you can be assured of is that I'm not doing this era. I believe the term to describe what time we're in now is called the "comeback era." We saw a resurgence of '70s style recently, and we definitely saw a resurgence of '40s pinup style. So I think [the past] is something we should take into consideration: that everything that has come before us can be re-appropriated and refashioned for today. Of course, I love the idea of the future, but I'm just less acquainted with it. That's Alaska's gig!

At what age did you start experimenting with drag?

I think my first legitimate [drag] show was at the Escape nightclub in Portland, OR, at age 15. I was actually wearing a dress kind of like this. My first drag character was a wind-up doll. I painted myself white and moved just like a ballerina. My character didn't talk or have a name—she was just a wind-up doll. When the nightclub later asked me to host the show, I [thought], "I don't know how to host a show as a woman!" So I just did an impression of my mom, and then Jinkx Monsoon was born. I was just doing this really innocent shtick, like, "Oh, I'm just here with my son! I've never been to a gay club before! I'm just trying to be the hip mom!" I've been playing a 45-year-old woman since I was 15.

What beauty lessons do you think we can learn from older women?

Beauty-wise, we know now that women hit their prime in their thirties and forties. That's something we're embracing nowadays, when before we used tell a woman that she was only pretty when she was in her young twenties. I think there's something really gorgeous about an older woman. When a woman's older, she takes a little bit more stock in her appearance because she has more experience and more to work with, and she also has more to work against. I think older women inspire others to really own their style, their fashion sense, and their beauty in a way that we take for granted when we're in our twenties. Also, at that age, women have a deeper understanding of what their style actually is. I think there's something about the aesthetic of a middle-aged cougar that has always spoken to me.

You received some criticism on the show for not having the best beauty technique. How do you react to that, and how do you think your technique has evolved since then?

I think the biggest thing that I would agree with in terms of my questionable beauty technique is that I was painting for stage, I was painting for theater, and we were filming with an HD camera. In regards to the makeup that I did earlier on in the show—had there been three bright spotlights on my face at all times like there normally are in my musical shows, I would've looked alright. But with HD cameras, you see every single bit of contouring. When they kept telling me they wanted more glamour, I was like, "Oh, how do I do that? Do I just make myself look tanner and tanner?" And then when I saw the "Can I Get an Amen?" music video, I realized what I was doing wrong and what could be improved upon. From that moment on I knew what adjustments to make, and I love where my drag is at now. I feel much more well rounded today.

You've said that you wear perfume when you're in drag to complete the illusion of being a woman. What's your favorite perfume?

It's called Krishna Musk by Song of India. I get it at an Indian import store in Seattle; it kind of smells like frankincense. It's really nice but I'm not wearing it now. Tonight I'm wearing something more floral to go with my "Glinda the Good Witch" look. I think I'm wearing some of Alaska's Britney Spears perfume. I think that's what she sprayed me with.

Who is your beauty icon?

If I was a woman and I could look exactly like anyone, I'd want to look like Parker Posey. I think she's naturally gorgeous, but you could also put a ton of makeup on her and she'd still look good, too.

What's your number one piece of beauty advice for women?

Don't be afraid of wearing a lot of makeup. Like, a lot. Your eyes deserve to be showcased. I think it's important to just remember that whatever you think you hate about yourself, there's a way to counter that with makeup and make that part of you beautiful. I used to hate that my lips are gigantic, and now I have huge red clown lips, and I love it.

What can women learn from drag queens today?

Confidence—absolutely 100 percent. If you have to mask the things you're insecure about, go ahead. Wear four pairs of pantyhose, pad your hips, boost your boobs—whatever it takes to walk out of the house feeling like you own the world. Because there's no reason to waste your life hating something you can change.